Boomer Think Tank: A Definition of Leadership Today

On our Think Tanks this month we are tackling what is the definition of leadership today. We are looking at the topic from each generation’s viewpoint in order to measure how much progress has been made, and what challenges still exist.

Definition of leadership:

It’s putting people first. ~ Rick Rice

Our panel was quick to establish that true leadership means putting your people first. Joseph mentioned how a leader has a particular collection of personality traits and skills that make other inspired. Moreover, they create an environment that allows their employees to get the most of their experience.

What does a good leader look like?

Our panelists began to describe a people-centric leader.

They must:

Lead from the front

Lead from example

Show people what you want them to do

Help them understand how they can more closely emulate the goals that you have in mind

Nurture and build confidence

Provide the best services possible to the people you work with and your customers

Create a team

Provide them the necessary tools

Get in the trenches with them during crisis

Dictatorship is not Leadership

Just as our panel was quick to make a list of character traits of a leader, they also were quite vocal over what does not make a leader.

What a good leader does not do:

Micro manage

Keep secrets

Remain one-sided

Say things but does not act

Ignores relationships

These were the team killers. And, as Sherree so eloquently put it,

Without a team, there’s no reason for a leader. ~Sherree Worrell

How to Build a Team

Well, if there’s no reason for a leader without a team, how do you build a team? Our panelists all believe it means creating a people-centric work culture.

This means:

Everyone has a voice

Being transparent

Being honest

Having an attitude was that workers are not minions but they work together as a team

Being an active participants of the team

Active listening

Corporate versus people

When describing these key differences between a self-centered and a people-centric team, examples of corporate culture came up frequently. For our participants, corporate work cultures treat employees as cogs instead of people.

Workers are expendable instead of investable.

There is a focus on micromanagement instead of collaboration. And when problems arise, they involve self-centric problem analysis instead of relationship-centric analysis.

Ideal Work Environment that Fosters Leadership

We asked our panellists to describe the ideal work environment that fosters leadership– essentially what do we need in this ideal blueprint to create a people-centric workplace.

The key elements:

Transparency

Ability to talk together and speak frankly

The leader is more of a facilitator than a director

Develop people as a priority

Encourages learning and growing

Empower your employees

Create trust so that your employees feel able to be open with you

You can listen to the podcast here:

You also can view the hangout in its entirety here. Read on for a recap:

About our think tanks:

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